


The Newcomer

by Knobi_Wa



Series: Welcome Reverend Sheehan [1]
Category: Midnight Texas (TV)
Genre: Mentions of Fiji, Mildred is like the mother of all, Snuggly is a cuddly cat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-20 00:03:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12420942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Knobi_Wa/pseuds/Knobi_Wa
Summary: Another Story about the arrival of my favorite character from Midnight Texas.





	The Newcomer

It was a beautiful night at Midnight Pawn.  
Olivia and Lemuel sat in Home Cookin with Joe, Chuy and Mildred Loeffler. They had the menu of the day, even when the cook was not really a master of the kitchen. But his food was warm.  
“So, any plans for tonight, Lem?” asked Mildred. She was a kindhearted woman, with a soft face. She often spoke about her favorite niece Fiji and about her shop. The Inquiring Mind was a place for all who were looking for more in their life. Herbs, spells or witchcraft. Mildred was a witch and she was a very good one.  
Lemuel looked thoughtful.  
“Midnight Pawn is closed, maybe reading or going for a walk at the river”, he answered.  
“Your still looking for someone, who can take over the shop?” Joe asked. Lem was a vampire and just did not age. So he changes his name from time to time, to make sure, their was no one sniffing around.  
“Yes and I am a little anxious about it”, he answered. They did understand that.  
Mildred smiled to herself: “What I am hoping is, that we find someone for our church.”  
They looked to her.  
“The last Reverend died and we have nobody, who follows his footsteps. The cemetery is going wild and I'd like to have a man of god here in Midnight.”  
“Well, when he is like the last one, he will follow him into his grave”, Olivia said with fire in her eyes.  
“Maldur was a stupid man, I know that”, Mildred said. “But we still need someone, who can take care of the cemetery and the church. And it would be nice to go to a sunday service.”  
“Yeah, well, we have to be lucky to get someone, who won't be like Maldur.”  
“You can't still be angry with him calling me a satanist and a monster?” Lemuel asked with risen eyebrows.  
“So?” Olivia asked. Lemuel smiled and kissed her backhand. “Well I'm not tired and when you go for this walk I'm coming with you.” She smiled back and he couldn't deny his need just to be with her.  
After their meal they all went out. Joe and Chuy made their walk back to their tattoo and nail studio and Mildred went to her home, Lemuel and Olivia followed her (not because she was in danger, it was just better to see her home).  
Then they started their walk to the river.

Lemuel loved it to just stroll around. He did spent a lot of time in the pawnshop. With Olivia this quiet walk was just the right thing to do. They were together for quiet some time, but it was still a phase, to learn about the other one.  
“What are you thinking about a new Reverend?” Olivia asked.  
“I sure like to have someone, who wasn't so... well... unkind like Maldur”, Lemuel answered. “It sure would be nice, especially for the other families.”  
They walked into the dark, thinking about so many problems, when they heard screams and shouts. A roar followed. Then Lemuel smelled blood.  
“Call the others”, was all Lemuel said. While Olivia called them, both ran as fast as they could, following the screams, Lemuel in human speed, so Olivia could follow him.  
They hid behind an old tree and watched an awful scene: There was bleeding tiger, groaning and grumbling. There were at least fifteen men standing around him holding him down with ropes and chains. The mammal was larger than a normal one and it was barely holding himself up, even on his strong looking legs.  
What seemed to be the leader of the group stood in front of the beast, loading his gun.  
“Well, well”, he said in a tone, that it made Olivia's blood boiling. She nodded to Lemuel and he gave her a sign. They were ready. “Must be sad, to be the last weretiger.” They hesitated. He couldn't be serious, could he? The last... “I will send you gladly back to your family. I will so love your fur.” The tiger roared with a power, that made Olivia shiver. It would be more powerful, if they wouldn't hold the beast down with silver chains. As the talking guy aimed, Lemuel ran and broke his neck with one hand. The loud snap shocked the other hunters who where holding the ropes and chains.  
All of them drew their weapons but while doing it, one after one is shot. Olivia never missed. There was only one left. While Olivia slowly approached the hurt tiger who was looking at her closely, Lemuel asked him: “Where are you from? Are there more?”  
The man was scared shitless, the rope he was holding fled his fingers. Olivia removed any rope or chain she could find. The tiger looked her into the eye and she made sure to hold this contact. It didn't blink and so she didn't either. Then it turned and looked to the last hunter.  
“Go away, beast!” he screamed and wanted to get his gun. Before Lemuel and Olivia could do something the tiger jumped him and bit him to death. It was a massacre, even with one body.  
“Its enough. Don't eat him”, Lemuel said. The beast turned to him, but it didn't roared. It just looked at him. Then it limped away, his wounds were bleeding more. “Wait!” Lemuel stood before him. “You don't have to go. You're hurt, we can help.” The tiger snarled and at the same time, he was shaking like leaf. He couldn't stay awake much longer.  
Olivia came near and the snarling became quieter. Lemuel watched the scene, interested. Seemed like the tiger felt the approach of another hunter. Or was it to weak?  
“You won't need to run anymore”, she said, while scratching a place behind his ears. Then they heard a car pulling up. The tiger heard the newcomers and tried to roar again with fire in his eyes. It was Joe, accompanied by Mildred and Chuy. Thank god, they had a large car.  
As they exited the vehicle and looked at the exhausted tiger, their expressions were a mix of awe and worry.  
Mildred came nearer, the tiger snarled and tried to back away. “It's OK, the bad guys are gone.” She sat down and held her hand up. The tiger looked at it and sniffed. “You're pretty damaged, huh?” Joe, Chuy, Lemuel and Olivia sat down like Mildred. The anxious energy floated away, at least a little. “Come on, little one. We get you somewhere save.”

They coaxed it into Chuy's and Joe's trunk and drove to Midnight before sunrise. Mildred and Olivia sat with him, his head falling into Olivia's lap. It had to be exhausted. How long was he running?  
They put him into Mildred's house. Lemuel helped but had to run into his basement for the sun was shining down on the little town. Olivia followed him, promised to come by later.  
Joe stayed while Chuy looked after their Peke Rasta.  
The tiger laid down on some warm blankets in front of Mildred's fireplace. He was sleeping and they made sure he stayed warm.  
“A weretiger”, Joe said. “And from what the guy said, the last one.” They looked sadly to the poor were, drained from all the events. He must have had a very hard life, because he was ready to run farther away.  
They heard the sound of breaking bones, which let a shudder run through their bodies. The tiger groaned and changed slowly into a human being. Mildred and Joe made sure, he was covered with the blankets. The positive side effect was, most of his wounds were healed. But some of them had to be inflicted by something with silver in it, because they were still there. It could be from another were, too.  
The shivering man had black hair and bushy eyebrows. His brown eyes tried to stay open, but the last night must be exhausting to him. Mildred put some more blankets on him, warmed through her magic. He opened his mouth but nothing came out and his eyes fell shut. Soon he was asleep.

They made sure he laid comfortable on Mildred's couch, while she put some salve on his wounds.  
“He is too thin”, she said worried and Joe knew, she would make sure, that he will be warm and fed before she let him go anywhere.  
“Shall I look for clothes, he could wear?” he asked, wanting something useful to do.  
“I don't have anything for him here, maybe something from you or Chuy.”  
“That will do. See ya later.”  
Joe walked to his shop, thinking about the poor guy. Chuy looked up as he entered their living room. When he saw the look on his husband's face, he nodded.  
“So it's true. He is a were”, he said. Joe nodded back.  
“And a very thin one. I believe Mildred wants to make sure, he gets some meat on his rips.”  
“Most of his wounds must be healed after the transformation.”  
“Not all of them. Looked like a fight with another weres or silver weapons. He needs clothes. Do you think we have something for him to wear?”  
“I think we do.”

Olivia wasn't prepared to see a sleeping man on Mildred's couch. She knew what a were was, but the mammal was so big and aggressive. The man was a little smaller and looked like he didn't want to hurt a fly.  
“I gave him something to sleep. Not that he needs it. He was so tired after all that he went through.” Mildred smiled and put another warm blanket on him, because he shivered a little.  
“Can I do something for him?” Olivia asked. She wanted to help. Not an every day thing for her, but the man on the couch looked so vulnerable.  
“You saved his life and I am sure, you will help him to find a place here like all of us.” She smiled to Olivia. She was not long here. Maybe a year or so. She was nice, a little anxious about newcomers, but something told Mildred, that the were on the couch wouldn't be a subject of Olivia's fears. At least not now.  
“Why didn't he attacked us? I mean, I'm glad he didn't, but...” Olivia didn't thought about earlier. Weretigers and other shifters are wild at the full moon, more like animals. She thought about how natural it felt to approach this one, looking him straight in the eye and all that without weapons.  
“Can't say, I think it was because the night was nearly at the end”, Mildred said thoughtful. “Maybe he was too exhausted? But that's not important. We have to make sure, he heals and feels safe.”  
Olivia nodded.

The were slept through the whole day and the first half of the night. When his eyes opened at midnight he was surrounded by the people who brought him here.  
“Welcome in Midnight”, greeted Mildred with a warm smile. The were didn't reply, but it was ok for them. Lemuel told them, most of the weres are much alike to their were-self, which could mean everything. They were sure, he was a loner. “I'm sure you are hungry. I prepared something, but I think you really want to wash yourself and you maybe like to have some clothes.”  
He sat up without problems. Olivia was sure, he was strong enough to stand for himself and she was right. He stood up, with the blanket clutched around him.  
Joe told him: “There are some clothes. We're not sure, if they were the right size, but should fit enough for now.”  
The stranger looked at him with weary eyes. Then he walked into the room, Mildred showed him.

Later all of them were sitting around Mildred's table. The Home Cookin wasn't the right place for the were now. When he exited the bathroom, clean and clothed, he was eyeing the door, like he made plans for his escape.  
“You have to be hungry”, Mildred said. “Take what you want.” She didn't want to put something on his plate, that he didn't eat. Even a weretiger was half human and had preferences.  
The meal wasn't silent. While the new one wasn't talking, the other ones had their shops and their other tasks. Mildred had work in the garden, but her cat Mr. Snuggly, who was silently watching the stranger, not with an unfriendly eye, had looked after him.  
“So, want to tell us, what's you're name?” Chuy asked friendly. They all made sure not to look at him directly, but the conversation was stopped because of that question.  
The stranger looked at him and stayed silent. He was eyeing the door again, whether he wanted to escape or because he was afraid it was a trap.  
“Ah”, Chuy said suddenly. “Where are my manners?” He smiled at the silent one. “Name's Chuy, Chuy Vegas. This is my husband Joe Strong. We are working and living at the tattoo and nail shop.” The were nodded subtly to Joe.  
Lemuel took the cue: “Lemuel Bridger. I work the night shift at the pawnshop. I'd like to open it at day, but... I have an unsolvable dispute with sunshine.” He smiled, showing a little teeth. Stranger nodded again.  
“And I'm Olivia Charity” Olivia said with a slight smile. “I live at the pawn shop, too. Sometimes I work the day shift and sometimes not.” Again no other reaction then a nod.  
They couldn't read his face, he isn't showing anything, but they weren't expecting a bad reaction. It's just a little unnerving not see anything that gives his thoughts or opinion away.  
“And I'm Mildred, little one”, Mildred said, while standing up. She got everyone's attention, even the newcomer looked at her with a more expressive face. “And this is my cat, Mr. Snuggly. Say hello, Snuggly.” The cat jumped into the lap of the were. They all watched the scene, the were and the cat looking at each other, then the cat mewed and purred while he laid down into his lap and closed his eyes.  
Olivia was sure, this was a new one. Mr. Snuggly didn't want to let her get near him or the shop for the first time. Even Lemuel had got some scratches, who were healed now.  
Mildred laughed. “That means he likes you. Not an easy task, so you know. For an example my niece Fiji...” and Mildred made told the newcomer some stories about Fiji. The man looked at her while she was doing it and he reminded all of them, that he was a tiger. He sat there like a cat, while she talked.  
“Well I tried them to get along together, but they just didn't want to do it. Now I'm the one with bad manners, Chuy. It's really late. Nearly two.”  
When they were about to stand up, the stranger talked: “Emilio.” They looked at him, waiting for him, to speak again. “My name is Emilio. Emilio Sheehan.” He looked at the table.  
Mildred was the first one who broke the ice of silence, that was crawling over the conversation.  
“It's nice to meet you, Emilio”, she answered with a warm smile.  
Lemuel wanted to know, what was going on. “Care to explain who the hunters were?” He didn't need to ask, why they were hunting him.  
Emilio looked like he tried to remember to use words. They waited patiently. “They found out what I was... When I was working at... in the village, from where they came from.” He looked away, like he was ashamed of something.  
“What happened?” Olivia asked. “I'm sorry, you must still be tired. You don't need to tell us, if...”  
Mildred stood up. “This is enough. This little one needs sleep. If you want to run away, do me a favor and write a note, so I'm not worried about you being abducted.”  
Emilio sat there with hunched shoulders. Than he nodded again.

They left the house and went to their homes. Mildred prepared the guest room, while Emilio stood there in the room, watching her. Mr. Snuggles was sleeping in his arms.  
“So, here you can sleep now. You will need it.” She smiled at him and when she looked at him he shook a little. His eyes were downcast, so she wasn't sure, but instead of waiting, she hugged him. Emilio tensed up and even Mr. snuggles gave a weak meow away. Slowly, stroking his back and just simply holding him and he stopped shaking, a little more relaxed.  
“Sleep tight. Tomorrow will be the breakfast of you're life. Or... well... today.” Mildred smiled and left the room, Emilio watching her. He sat Mr. Snuggly down and let himself fall down into bed. The cat following him, curling up at his back and purring.  
The weretigers eyes fell shut and for the first time in a long time he slept, feeling save.


End file.
